EXCLUSIVE: Former F1 star Riccardo Patrese names the person who might beat Max Verstappen in equal equipment.
No team-mate has been capable of problem Max Verstappen since he was a young person (Picture: Getty)
Former Components 1 driver Riccardo Patrese believes new Crimson Bull racer Isack Hadjar could possibly be the primary driver to bother Max Verstappen as his team-mate for a few years. Nonetheless, the Italian is adamant that there’s just one racer on the grid who might get the higher of the Dutchman in equal equipment – and it is not Lewis Hamilton or Lando Norris.
Verstappen is in a singular place amongst drivers representing the highest F1 groups, in that he doesn’t need to play politics in the case of his team-mates. He has been the undisputed primary at Crimson Bull for a few years and has seen off a string of superb drivers who’ve collapsed below the strain of attempting to carry a candle to the four-time world champion.
Hadjar is the most recent to strive, promoted from Racing Bulls after a formidable rookie season to switch Yuki Tsunoda, who has misplaced his place on the grid. The Japanese didn’t even get a full season alongside Verstappen on the major Crimson Bull crew, having changed Liam Lawson simply two rounds into the 2025 marketing campaign after the Kiwi was demoted again right down to the sister squad.
Former Williams and Benetton F1 driver Patrese was impressed by what he noticed from Hadjar final yr and just lately mentioned he believes the Frenchman can go on to develop into an “distinctive” driver. And, if given the time to mattress in, the Italian can foresee Hadjar giving Verstappen extra of a problem than his last few team-mates.
“It is going to be tough being quantity two to Max however, if you wish to present to the world that you’re a attainable world champion, you should examine your self with an individual like Max,” Patrese instructed Specific Sport, by way of BetVictor. “Particularly the primary season, possibly he can’t beat Max – however he can put in an excellent efficiency towards him.
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Patrese doesn’t actually suppose Hadjar might beat Verstappen in the identical Crimson Bull automobile, although, naming Charles Leclerc as the motive force who he believes would have the most effective probability of doing that. The six-time F1 race winner added: “Little doubt, Leclerc is the one man who’s the person who could possibly be the ‘anti-Max’.
“They’ve recognized one another because the karting days. Max went to Crimson Bull on the time that it grew to become so good and Leclerc went to Ferrari the place Ferrari was all the time somewhat bit twisty, not straight. However if you happen to say, ‘Okay, equal automobiles.’ I ought to decide Leclerc.”
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